Welcome to New Vroengard
by theCaravaneer
Summary: About a century after Eragon's voyage of no return from the eastern shores of Alagaesia, a new generation of Riders prepares themselves for a new life on the famed island of New Vroengard. Rumours, conflicts, and all sorts of nonsense are abound, but in the very end, the life of a Shur'tugal apprentice is one of hard work and responsibility. Written from various points of view.
1. Chapter 1: Arrival

_More than a hundred years have passed since the departure of Eragon Bromsson - Shadeslayer, Lightbringer - and of his dragon, Saphira Bjartskular, from the dwarven trading post Hedarth for the unexplored eastern lands beyond._

 _In the first ten years that elapsed since the pair left, reconstruction efforts were started in earnest by the newly elected High Queen of Alagaesia, Nasuada Nightstalker. Villages that were razed to the ground in the war were rebuilt as towns; cities that were decimated to dust were rebuilt into even greater citadels. The welfare of her people was the High Queen's foremost concern. Her townships were built with the help of dwarven ingenuity, creating aquifers for water and large spaces for future construction. Elven magic boosted her kingdom's agriculture, and planted gardens where there was once stone._

 _One of her most famous (or infamous, if you asked certain spellcasters) deeds was the establishment of the Magicians' Guild - an academy that would train young spellcasters in the proper uses of their skill, and an institution that all magicians in the kingdom came under the jurisdiction of. To the inaugural Guildmaster post, she assigned one Dain Durlansson, a former member of the spellcasters' group Du Vrangr Gata. He was soon replaced by a much brighter pupil of his: Haemir of the Hadarac, who has recently been come to known as Sandweaver._

 _To the south, King Orik of Clan Ingeitum also continues to rule in peace and stability. While the twelve clans continue to bicker, there is some sense of harmony between them as they too recuperate their losses from the war. Mining activities have been increased, and their smithies are facing severe deficiencies in metalworkers to craft materials, despite the hardworking nature of the dwarves. Furthermore, their society is still reeling from the creation of dwarven Dragon Riders, just three in the past century, but three more than the clans are used to. They are not shunned, but treated with more wariness than a Dragon Rider should be. Nonetheless, the dwarves will prosper._

 _In the southwest, the kingdom of Surda perseveres as well, for her people are a hardy folk, toughened by their long history of war with the slain usurper Galbatorix. The weakened leadership of King Orrin Langfeld does hamper their progress, however, and it is good fortune that his chief adviser, Irwin Baridian, has stepped in to take charge of certain aspects of running the kingdom. The lands bequeathed to Surda will benefit her in the long run, for her people will surely know how to make use of them. They have not forgotten their roots, and they will work to keep themselves alive. Surda has a slow start, but it will soon be a kingdom to match the Broddring Empire._

 _To the north, the elves have nearly finished rebuilding their destroyed cities, but the young Arya Dröttning faces other problems in her own court in Ellesmera. Much more than a sharp wit and a tongue to match is needed to survive the elven court, yet Arya_ _Dröttning_ _somehow thrives in her kingdom's twisted politics. Quite a few of her policies have proven unpopular amongst the more conservative lords, such as opening up the borders of Du Weldenvarden, and signing trade pacts and alliances with the human and dwarven kingdoms. Wise decisions, on her part, but whether the elven aristocrats will see them as such, only time will tell._

 _To the northwest, the Earl of Palancar Valley, Roran Stronghammer, has become a strong leader to the villagers of the Spine. He has built a mighty castle on Carvahall Hill, and expanded Carvahall till it nearly merges with the nearby village of Therinsford. He is also the Broddring Empire's ambassador to the Urgal population living in the Spine, and he deals with their chieftains and the Herndall. A fitting role, for he is well-respected amongst the Urgal race. It is due to his efforts that even the people of the Spine have become much less suspicious of those horned beings. It is also through him that the annual Alagaesian Games have been successful to the restrainment of the Urgals' love of war. Their representatives have won countless times in the arena in those first ten years._

 _And finally, to the east, there sailed Eragon Shadeslayer, his dragon Saphira, and his ten trusted elven companions. None can truly say what occurred during those ten years, for many strange tales have cropped up indeed. But those times are long past, and the old stories are just that - stories. Now more than a century has come and gone since his leave, and a new generation of Riders is ready once more to make the journey to Dragonhome._

 _Onwards, to New Vroengard._

* * *

 _81XX AC_

 _Second Week of Spring_

 _Unknown Writer_

The ship heaved in the waves that battered the western coast of the island. Gulls circled in the air high above them, squawking something intelligible to them. A welcome, perhaps. They only hoped that they didn't drop anything on them. One of the sailors had thrown a rope onto the boardwalk, mooring the ship to the harbour, before another one laid out the gangplank for the passengers to head onto shore. Well, there were only four passengers, really, much too little compared to the size of their vessel, but it had been decided that they'd take a ride on a supply ship that was heading to the island at the same time. Crates were being unloaded and barrels were being rolled out even as the four of them hauled out their luggage from their sleeping quarters.

A cool shore breeze blew across their faces, smelling faintly of salt. The four passengers disembarked from the ship, careful not to fall off into the sea, and stood together on the boardwalk, modest sacks slung over each of their shoulders. At each of their feet stood dragons - yes, dragons - of vibrant colours, standing knee-high and full of anticipation. Their eyes shifted around, taking in the unfamiliar island - her coastal waters were clearer than any they had seen before, and the harbour was surrounded by the whitest sand. Further in, the sand faded into grass, ending off with a high cliff face that was masked by vegetation. The island was so pristine and so lush with greenery that they wondered if there was anyone living here at all.

But then again, this was the island of New Vroengard, and everyone knew this harbour was where Eragon Lightbringer had first set foot. (Someone had even put down a stone marking the place where he had washed ashore.)

As the sailors continued unloading their cargo, the four had their attention drawn towards a person who had suddenly emerged from the cliff face, like a ghost who had walked through a wall. Her hair was coppery red, bright enough to see from a distance, and her clothes were light grey, save for one green strip of cloth that had been tied around her head. As she approached, they were able to take a closer look at her: strong features she had, with calm grey eyes that could have hidden a storm deeper underneath.

" _Atra esterní ono thelduin,_ " said the fiery-haired woman, and she twisted her right arm over her sternum and bowed.

They scrambled to return her greeting, for they did not expect her to greet first. Even their dragons dipped their heads a little. The woman chuckled at their nervousness.

"My name is Ismira Katrinasdaughter. I'm one of the senior Riders who'll be in charge of your training for the next ten years or so-" and she chuckled again at the look at some of their faces. "Yes, ten years! Did the elven queen not tell you hatchlings so? The journey to becoming a Rider is no easy one, but I promise it's something that you'll cherish for the rest of your life, as I have found. You have no idea how _easy_ apprentice life is!" Ismira really seemed to enjoy laughing, as she chuckled for the third time.

"I hope your voyage here had been alright. The sea around here can get pretty choppy sometimes. Now then, say your goodbyes to the crew of the _Hvass_ , we're going into Doru Aiedail soon."

They did just that, and followed her up the gentle slope towards the cliff face. Were they going to learn how to walk through solid rock? Or was the cliff merely an illusion to hide the city within? It was neither, it turned out. When they went closer to the cliffside, they realized that the entrance was merely well-hidden in an alcove of rock that blended in easily with the rest of the cliff, thanks to all the vegetation. It was twice as tall as them and five times as wide.

"This is the Riders' door, for when we pass through here alone. If ever a dragon needs to come through…" Ismira drew their eyes upwards. They could barely make out the thin outline of a giant door in the cliff, fifty times the size of the Riders' door. "This is still a rather small door, for a dragon," she explained. They followed her into the cliff, where a tunnel the size of their door had been dug out. Dim lantern light glowed from the ceiling. A gentle incline in the tunnel led upwards to a hole of light at the other end, the exit. The four went in single file, not daring to walk ahead of Ismira, and several minutes of walking finally brought them to the other side of the cliff.

They gasped collectively. The four young Riders were standing on a raised ledge, giving them clear view of their immediate surroundings. It seemed like something straight out of a storybook from ages past, untouched by time or ruin. There were roaring waterfalls flowing down cliffs of green, collecting in a large crystalline pool. Rivers wound past them like blue ribbons on a green fabric, and there were trees as far as they could see. A morning mist lay in the air. Spires of rock rose up in the distance. There was no way they could take in everything, even if they stood there for the entire day.

"Alright, stop gawking," called Ismira, who had walked down a set of stairs carved into this side of the cliff. She looked amused at their wonder. "There'll be plenty to look at later on. This is but a scale on the dragon, as they say."

And indeed there were more sights to behold as they travelled towards the castle, which Ismira said was located near the centre of the island. They saw trees like the Greatwoods of Du Weldenvarden, sung into wondrous shapes. There were statues in certain groves, and paths through the forest that were dappled by sunlight through the leaves. Birds sung from every branch. As they walked through clearings, they could see the beginnings of the castle poking over the horizon, and they quickened their pace each time. The dragons were equally excited, and grew more so when familiar shapes wheeled through the sky high above them, breathing brilliant flames. The fire in their bellies were growing hot.

"We're nearly to the castle, now. So before I forgot, tell me your names!" said Ismira. Their boots crunched the dirt beneath their feet as they spoke. It was more for her own benefit than theirs, for they had become well-acquainted with each other during their short training stint in Du Weldenvarden.

"I am of Clan Ragni Hefthyn, the River Guard. My name is Melik," said the shortest of them. " _And I the dragon, Uldr,_ " said the dragon, whose scales were blue like the ocean.

"I am Ayduin, son of Ganelien, she of the harp. I hail from House Rilvenar," said the oldest. His dragon was Navi, with a colour like stone.

"Obec, I am known as. My tribe is Ahgrat, and my father is warchief," said the tallest. His dragon was ironically the smallest - Jekthu was he, and he was yellow like the sun.

Then the quietest spoke. "I'm Rin," said she. And that was all. " _Telamon is the name I chose."_ Her dragon was whiter than snow.

"Interesting names, all. I'm sure the Lorekeeper would very interested in them," said Ismira, as they crossed a wooden bridge that arched over a babbling stream. "And look, the gate!"

They swung their gaze upwards. Two columns of stone stood on either side of their path, with sculptures of dragons winding around them. At the top of the columns were two stone bowls, possibly to be lit up at night. A slight shiver went through them as they passed through. "What was that…?" asked Ayduin, the most sensitive to magic of the four.

"Wards," Ismira said. She wouldn't explain further, but brought them through the gates.

Doru Aiedail was all they expected, and more. Naturally, there were dragon motifs in many places, from the tiling, to the buildings, to the very main gates to Doru Aiedail itself, which were giant sculptures of rock in the form of two crouching dragons. But there were other patterns that they noticed as well. Stone leaves and vines crept up the side of walls, while there were images of scenes from the Beor Mountains and the Western Ocean imprinted onto certain surfaces. Melik and Ayduin noticed how the buildings were all a mix of dwarven and elven architecture, shaped by wood but filled with stone. The streets were wide enough to fit three adult dragons walking side by side, and the buildings of similar scale. And trees. Trees and plants were everywhere. It was as if the city had been built within a garden, yet everything was clean and well-tended to, created to serve the needs of the Rider Order.

They continued to follow Ismira through the streets, which were sparse of people in such a large city like this. Most they passed by were Riders, of course, their eyes widening at the glinting swords at their hips, while there were some who were guests from mainland Alagaesia, come to visit relatives who were members of the Order. An even smaller number were people who lent their services to the Riders, but these were largely volunteers, for the Riders did not like hiring others to work for them. "How can we serve others if we are being served ourselves?" explained Ismira.

A broad stone road led up to a grand flight of stairs that led up to the second tier of the city. This was the highest tier, apparently, so the castle was in the centre. The second was more crowded than the first, since it had been the first one to be built. More important buildings like the library and smithery were located here. Riders waved at the four as they walked past, some even stopping to chat with them, and here they encountered other, older apprentices who had already spent several years on New Vroengard.

"Where are you from?" asked one, whose name was Lyra. She stood at least head taller than all of them, save for Obec, and had long silver hair tied into a neat braid.

"You'll find out soon, Lyra. These four will be introduced to everyone at the afternoon bell anyway," said Ismira. "Shouldn't you be running off to lessons with Moor?"

"Ah, yes, I should be. Farewell, Ismira-elda!" She took off faster than a horse could run. Typical elf.

They finally came to the gates of the castle after several more strides, which were wide open to let the Riders go in and out easily. A Rider and an orange dragon were sleeping in the courtyard in front of the entrance, the dragon blocking the gate with his tail. Ismira stalked up to the Rider angrily and rapped him on the head, making him sit up with a start. The dragon, through their mind-link, woke up as well.

"Sleeping on duty, are you?" Ismira scolded. The storm that had been hidden beneath her grey eyes had surfaced.

"Ah, well, I was only going to take a short nap, Ismira-elda!" the Rider protested, only to receive another rap to his head.

"'A short nap'?" Ismira snorted. "Knowing you two, a short nap would mean you'd be sleeping away the rest of the morning."

"S-sorry, Ismira-elda," he grumbled. He and his dragon got back into position, looking slightly more alert but still seeming as if they'd fall back to the ground at anytime. Ismira shook her head and motioned for the four to follow.

"That was just Perrin and Taem. I'm sure you'll find out more about them later." She led them into the entrance hall, which had a high-vaulted ceiling and windows that spanned from floor to roof. A skylight allowed sunlight to filter in, shining down onto a large white statue of a Rider and dragon poised for battle. The Rider was holding his sword out in one hand, and there was an egg tucked underneath the other. The dragon appeared to be in flight, jaws open to bite or breathe flame.

But Ismira directed their attention not to the statue, but to the four Riders who were standing (or in one case, sitting) at the front of the pedestal.

"Who are they?" asked Ayduin.

"They will be your teachers for your entire apprenticeship here," answered Ismira. "They're going to start you on your orientation here. They'll take care of you and make sure you don't do anything stupid." She smiled at the four of them. "And now, I must take my leave. Don't worry. You're in good hands. I know no better Riders to pass on all that we know to you." Ismira nodded at the four senior Riders, and as she had said, left them by going back through the castle gate.

The four young Riders looked at each other, then reluctantly approached the four senior Riders who were supposed to be their teachers.

"I am Wayne," said one. He was a human with dark hair. "And this is Eleone-" an elf- "Keori-" the human who had been sitting on the floor- "and Noum-" A dwarf.

"Will we be- choosing teachers?" Obec asked. "Must we show off our skills before we choose?" For that was how it worked in Urgal culture.

Eleone laughed. "Not at all, Obec. We've already chosen who we want as apprentice, based on what Arya-elda has told us about all of you."

The four shifted uneasily. So their masters had known about them long ago.

"Rin and Telamon," said Eleone. "You two are my apprentices." Rin had little reaction.

"Melik and Uldr are mine!" Keori said, grinning. A touch of red tinged the dwarf's face.

"Obec and Jekthu are with me," Noum said. The Urgal touched the tip of his horn in respect.

"And that leaves Ayduin and Navi for me," Wayne finished. The elf bowed to him in that peculiar elvish way. "Go to your teachers, all of you."

"Your training on New Vroengard has begun."

* * *

 _A/N: Hey there! I had supposed I'd try writing a non-crossover story… so here it is. As always, reviews are appreciated!_


	2. Chapter 2: The First Day

_The storm bewildered Lightbringer and his elven companions, for lightning was streaking across the dark sky that had been azure the day before, and rain was thundering hard onto the deck of the Talita. Their ship was far from shore, out of sight and out of reach, stranded in the tumultuous ocean that had their seacraft crashing and heaving with the waves. Their sails collapsed in the gusting wind, and their hull was groaning from the sheer force of the maelstrom. Thunder boomed and deafened the crew, who had to yell and scream through the clamour. Water was entering the ship; it was sinking._

 _Lightbringer stood at the bow, rain pelting at his brow, deep in silence and concentration. While the elves ran about the deck, bailing water and tying down cargo, the ship's captain was the only calm in the storm, even as he grabbed onto the helm with a grip tighter than a vice. The ship's first mate, the wolf-elf Blodhgarm, came to him several times, beseeching him cast his magic and quell the storm, but the Lightbringer refused, as he continued to stare out into the raging sea. The first mate could not see what his captain saw, even with his elven eyesight, and the crew soon gave their captain up for useless._

 _But Lightbringer had not given up on his crew, and he would not give up on them until Lord Angvard himself rose from the twilight and took their souls. For Lightbringer had a sixth sense that the elves did not - a dragonsense - and in those moments he saw through the eyes of his bonded partner, Bjartskular, who flew above the storm and watched from the sunlit realm. Beyond the curtain of rain, beyond the towering waves, was an island twice larger than Vroengard itself. He bid his crew to hold out, and weather the storm, as he sensed the island grow closer and closer, as if drawn by their need._

 _Waves broke against the ship. Water rushed onto the deck and erupted from below, as lightning struck the mainmast and splintered the wood. The Talita keeled towards her starboard side, and the crew scrambled to magick the ship back to seaworthiness, but the storm had already claimed the ship for her own - already it was half gone into the waves. Finally, Lightbringer saw it was time, and gave the order to abandon ship._

 _Hours later, the crew of the Talita found themselves washed onto some sandy shore. Lightbringer had been first to awake, and found their ship wrecked upon the rocks. And as the rest of the crew awoke, they were in wonderment of what they saw: the whitest sand and the greenest trees, the tallest cliffs and the clearest sea. Their captain took in the sight and the air, and spreading his arms out wide, he turned to address his loyal crew._

" _We have found it," said he. "We have founded this island of New Vroengard."_

\- From _Tales from the Talita: The Legendary Discovery of New Vroengard_

* * *

 _81XX AC_

 _Second Week of Spring_

 _Ayduin, Son of Ganelien, Rider to Navi_

His master led him down a cobblestone road away from the castle, a steep cliff falling away to their right. Forest swathed the land as far as he could see, and clear water gurgled in the brook below. A fire had been lit at the top of a distant tower. It reminded him of a place in Du Weldenvarden on the eastern shores of Rona Lake, where strange beasts roam the hills and the air is unperturbed. They say those patches of forest is where dormant magic remains as strong as in the olden days. New Vroengard seemed like that, its magic running deep the roots of the island, and he could feel it in the life essence that pulsed around him… life took magic from the earth, and death returned it, rising and falling in steady rhythm. The elves of his House were highly attuned to this cadence of life.

 _It trickles through the soles of my feet and upwards. Don't you feel it too, Navi?_

 _It makes me want to fly,_ said the dragon.

She took to the air just beside him, keeping in pace despite her underdeveloped wings. _I wonder where Wayne-elda is taking us_ , he said to her.

 _I don't know either._

The memory of being first introduced to his master was still clear as day to him - they had met only earlier this morning, after all. He did not know what to make of Wayne, who was one of the few humans he had ever met in his lifetime. His master took kindly to him, though he seemed a little strict, but what master is not strict with their pupil? His mannerisms were like a soldier's, disciplined and unyielding, yet his master still had a look of warmth in his eyes. That was something Ayduin had observed in nearly all the humans he had met. And his master minced no words in spelling out his expectations for his apprenticeship. "The Queen tells me you are an intelligent fellow. Perhaps I shall see some of that intelligence shine through today."

That hadn't been reassuring. But Wayne told him a bit of his own history - that he had once been a carpenter boy from Feinster - and Ayduin decided that he could be as good of a Rider as any woodworker. Besides, he was Arya Dröttning's best student, so he was the most prepared for any evaluation Wayne would make of him.

"Ayduin," Wayne now called. "Come this way."

He followed his master down a second path that branched from the road, towards a wooden building at the edge of an open field. There were a few people out on the field, and the ringing clash of wood and metal told him that this was a training ground for the young Riders. The wooden building was an armoury. Wayne gently pushed open the doors, which had been left unlocked.

"No flying inside, now," his master said to Navi. The dragonling quickly complied, walking in after him. He closed the door behind them. The inside of the building was brightly-lit, with lanterns lining the walls. There were racks of training swords and plain iron armour on wooden stands. A cloth banner with the Rider's emblem adorned the far wall.

Then a voice suddenly rang out. "Who goes there?" said the voice.

"Wayne, son of Kaine," said his master. "Who there speaks?"

A raven-haired youth stepped out from between the racks of weapons, a bundle of wooden swords gathered in his arms. A grey towel had been thrown over his shoulder. The jeweled pommel of a sword at his hip glinted under the dim lighting.

 _A Rider's sword!_

The youth placed the swords on a nearby rack, then twisted his right arm over his chest in elven greeting. "Atra esterni ono thelduin, Wayne-elda."

"Mor'ranr li'fa unin hjarta onr. Terrin, what are you doing here? I expected you to be preparing for the expedition."

"Beric-elda told me to clean up the armoury and take stock of the inventory. Preparations will have to wait, unfortunately."

"Gotten into his bad books again, I see."

He shrugged. "I don't believe I have done anything untoward, ebrithil. But Beric-elda knows what's best for me, and I shall follow what he says." He picked up his bundle of swords. "Please excuse me, Wayne-elda. I still have more weapons to store."

Terrin walked past him. Ayduin turned to look at the youth, and he nearly flinched when he turned back. The boy (surely he was no more than eighteen) set his intense gaze upon him.

"Oh, are you new here?" he asked. "What's your name?"

Ayduin twisted a hand over his sternum. "I am Ayduin, of House Rilvenar. I arrived on the island just this morning," he answered. The Rider considered him for a while, his faint blue eyes seeming to stare at something behind him.

"Hm. Well, it is nice to have met you, Ayduin. My name is Terrin. I look forward to our next meeting." Terrin readjusted his grip on the sword bundle, and continued to walk to a flight of stairs leading up to the second floor of the armoury. His footsteps reverberated through the wood.

Wayne had remained silent for a while. Then he sighed, shook his head, and motioned for Ayduin to follow him again. He had many questions for his master as the older Rider went looking through the racks of weapons.

"Who was that, ebrithil?"

His master threw a wooden sword at him, and he caught it in midair. The scabbard came after. "Terrin is one of the older apprentices, your senior." Ayduin thought it strange to think of the younger boy as his senior.

"An apprentice who carries a Rider's sword?"

Wayne didn't answer immediately as he took down another sword from the top rack on the wall. "He is a… special case. In name, yes, he is a full Rider, and the Elders found him worthy of a brightsteel sword, but after… the Elders thought he still had much to be desired, and had him apprenticed to the White Wolf, who is possibly the only man who can keep that lad in check."

"So Beric-elda is this White Wolf."

"Yes. Beric is the Swordmaster of the Order. He is stern, even scary. I myself do not enjoy spending too much time with him," Wayne chuckled.

"That is rather unusual. I have never heard of full Riders being apprenticed to a new ebrithil before."

"It certainly is. Come."

Wayne led Ayduin back outside to the training field. The other apprentices were still hammering away at each other. Ayduin jumped back as one of them stumbled towards him, falling onto his back. His sparring partner immediately pointed his sword at his neck. "Dead," he pronounced, then extended a hand to help his partner up. "Darys, Theomund, get back here now!" called their master from across the field. The two hurried off.

Turning back he found his own master waiting, wooden sword in hand. "Are you done watching?" Wayne said, summoning back his attention. "Ayduin, am I correct in assuming you have learnt some swordplay from Arya Dröttning?"

"Aye. I have."

"Combat stances, guarding, basic techniques?"

"Yes. To all of those."

Wayne nodded. "Very good. Assume on guard position." And he did.

His master in contrast was wielding his sword up over his shoulder. _Artosvald. Bearwield._ "Let me explain what is going to happen. As I know all apprentices differ in combat ability, I make it a point to assess their abilities before teaching them anything. Now, I need to assess your ability in swordplay by sparring with you. If you have paid attention to Arya Dröttning's teachings, then you should have no problem passing this first test. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ebrithil." He tightened his grip on the sword. _Vindrvald. Windwield._

 _They should name a technique "dragonwield"._

 _Skulblakavald is a bit of a mouthful though._

"Good. Ayduin, on guard!"

Their swords struck just seconds after that declaration, and Ayduin immediately leapt back after that first blow. His master was much stronger than he was. Each blow he made against him would be effortless for him, but Ayduin would struggle to parry each strike. And he knew that already, even before the fight began, just from the way his master held his sword. That's why he went with the wind.

Ayduin reset his stance, gripping his sword with both hands, blade angled to the side. His master held his beside his head. They circled each other for a few moments, both swordsmen looking for an opening. Ayduin rushed forward, making a low sweep towards Wayne. His master parried the attack and Ayduin immediately disengaged, hopping to the right and making another low sweep. Again his attempt was fended off again, and again he jumped away. Attack, parry, and move. Small but quick blows.

Wayne was back in the on guard position. "Are you sure you know only the basics, Ayduin?"

"Yes, ebrithil."

His master smiled. "This is interesting, Ayduin-vodhr. Interesting indeed. On guard!"

* * *

 _81XX AC_

 _Second Week of Spring_

 _Rin, Daughter of None, Rider to Telamon_

"Where is that elf?!" Melik said, thumping his fist on the table impatiently. Obec stood to look around, but found that Ayduin was nowhere in sight. "Maybe he got lost."

"Him? Get lost?" Melik scoffed. "He is the smartest of the four of us. If he cannot read a bloody map of this island then I do not know how any of us can survive here."

"Language, Melik," Obec warned. "Arya-elda has already spoken to you about it."

"'Spoken to' is a nice way to put it..." the dwarf muttered, unconsciously touching the back of his head.

As the two continued bickering over Ayduin's whereabouts and the morality of cursing, Rin sat quietly near the end of the table, her face impassive. Telamon was stretched out next to her on the bench she sat on. Her first day of apprenticeship with Eleone had been mundane. Her ebrithil was pleasant and respected her silence, but hadn't asked her to do anything overly difficult. Summoning wind and drawing water from the soil was nothing she couldn't handle, so she passed the first test of her apprenticeship easily. Eleone had seemed slightly surprised at her level of skill, but Rin guessed it wasn't particularly extraordinary since her ebrithil had not mentioned it to her.

She rested her head against the table, watching Riders stream into the dining hall. It wasn't much of a hall, since there weren't actually any walls, or even a roof. It was more of a dining square. But no one seemed bothered about calling it a hall, so a dining hall it would be. The place had no walls so that the dragons could poke their heads in easily. Rin wondered what would happen if it rained.

A bell rang from somewhere else in the castle, two sonorous chimes. That was the afternoon bell that marked noontime. Lunch would begin very soon. Obec yelled, and Rin lifted her head from the table.

"He is here!" said the Urgal. A small figure was dashing towards them. Rin shook her head as Ayduin drew up to meet them.

"What the blazes happened to _you_?" Melik asked.

"I had a sparring match with Wayne-elda," Ayduin replied. He held a hand up to a cut on his face. "Waise heil." A greyish glow surrounded the cut, and it instantly closed up.

"Match did not go well, huh?" said Melik. "Now sit down, we have been waiting for blo- for ages." Obec gave him an approving smile, which Melik returned with a sneer.

Ayduin moved to sit, and Telamon hopped off the bench to give him space, joining the other three dragons who were mingling about in the grass.

"How does lunch go here?" Obec asked. "Where is the food?"

Ayduin motioned over to a long table in the middle of the dining hall. "Food will be placed on that table, and Riders have to queue to get their food. You can take as much as you want. By convention, one person from each table takes food for the rest. The Riders on kitchen duty will be refilling the plates when necessary." Obec and Melik continued to stare at him. "Remember? The Riders do not employ servants."

"Aye. Simple enough," said Melik. "As long as we get food. Anyway, Ayduin, what happened during yer match?"

"Well," said Ayduin. "As you've succinctly mentioned, it did not go very well. Actually, it was better in the early part of the match."

"What did you do?"

"I got careless. I did not consider that Wayne-elda could switch his wielding technique in the middle of the fight. Once he had disarmed me of my blade, I was soundly defeated."

Rin watched as a group of Riders walked into the dining hall, wheeling in carts of dishes. _Looks kind of expensive._

 _More expensive than you're used to?_

 _Yes._

The Riders who were already seated in the hall had all twisted around to look at the central table being set. Fifteen dishes in all, for the four-and-sixty Riders present. One of the dwarven Riders who had brought the food in produced a small bell, which he tapped twice to sound a high pitched chime. "Lunch has been served. We will wait for the arrival of the Council."

The dwarf meant the Council of Elders, of course, the twelve high seats of power that led the Order, who were wisest of the Riders and legends of the land. At their head was Alagaesia's most famed war hero, the Lord-Commander Eragon Shadeslayer. Rin had seen one fairth of him and his dragon Saphira Bjartskular, hung up in the hut of Oromis the Wise where they had received lessons from the elven queen (who was also on the Council.)

Ismira Katrinasdaughter now came striding into the hall, the first Rider they had met upon their arrival on the island. "Very sorry for the wait!" said she, and the Rider ran up to the still empty table at the front of the hall. "Our meeting just ended. The others shall arrive shortly."

" _Wait, that woman is on the Council?!"_ Melik hissed at Ayduin.

The elf nodded. "She is Mistress of Apprentices. Ismira-elda oversees all of our training."

Melik slapped his forehead.

The rest of the Council came streaming in, alone or in pairs, seating themselves around the Council table. When a man with white hair walked in, Ayduin gave them another lesson on the Order: "That's the Swordmaster, Beric the White Wolf. They say his skill with a sword is unrivaled, unless he is matched up against Lord Eragon himself." The white jewel in his sword's pommel had a threatening glint.

When there were three seats left vacant at the table, Ismira took the bell from the dwarven Rider and rang it. "Lunch begins," she announced. Melik promptly stood up. "I'll get the food!" he dashed off to the central table where other Riders had already lined up.

An older, silver-haired elf took the empty spot where Melik had been. Rin blinked at her as she pushed her braid behind her back.

"You are…" Obec started.

"Don't you remember me?" Lyra said, giving the Urgal a small smile. "I'm Lyra. I'm the apprentice you bumped into on your way to the castle. I apologize for earlier, I was rushing off to meet with my master, Moor. He is not one to wait around." She addressed the other two apprentices at the table. "Ah, but I realize I have not properly introduced myself."

She twisted a hand over her chest in traditional elven greeting. "Atra esterni ono thelduin. My name is Lyra, of House Haldthin. My father tends to the gardens of Tialdarí Hall, serving the Queen herself. My mother is a weaver. I have been on New Vroengard for nigh on four years now. My partner Kaoris is a deep purple dragon, but he is not here. He hunts."

Ayduin returned her greeting. "Mor'ranr lifa unin hjarta onr, Lyra. I am Ayduin of House Rilvenar. These are my companions, Obec of tribe Ahgrat, and Rin, who hails from Teirm. Melik over there is from clan Ragni Hefthyn," said he, gesturing towards the dwarf's empty seat.

"Teirm, you say?" Lyra said. "I have visited the western coast but twice. The ocean is very beautiful."

Rin said nothing. She didn't know how to reply that strangely talkative elf. Lyra could probably compete with Ayduin for most superfluous elf on New Vroengard.

Unperturbed, the senior apprentice continued to talk. "Did you know that you're the first batch of apprentices to have all four races represented? I was rather interested when I heard the news. How has your day on the island been so far? Obec, I've heard your master can be rather strict."

"He is," said Obec. "But Noum-elda seems to be a good teacher."

"Really? Apparently, Noum used to send his apprentices foraging even if they were just a minute late for his lessons."

"Foraging? What sort of punishment is that?" Ayduin asked.

"One of the worst punishments an apprentice can receive," Lyra said. "You go out into the forest from dawn till dusk and collect as many of the plants that the kitchen needs."

"How is that bad? I did that in the Spine, sometimes," said Obec.

"Obviously, you have never been to the forests on this island."

Rin turned to Telamon, the white dragon still lying next to her. He had declined to go with the other three dragonlings to find food, choosing to stay with his Rider instead.

 _Telamon, I am so very bored._

 _Just wait for the dwarf. He will arrive with the food soon, if he doesn't start gobbling it up himself._

She looked up at the high table where the Council dined. There were still three vacant seats around the table. To whom did they belong to? Markedly, the Lord-Commander was not present. None of the other seat occupants looked similar to the fairth she had seen in the hut of Oromis the Wise. That left two more identities for her to ponder over. The Elders spoke to each other in quiet, hushed tones, as if they were afraid someone might overhear their conversation. Their faces had the eternally concerned look that most leaders had.

A scuffle broke out at the food table, drawing her attention away from the Council. "You got a problem with that?!" someone growled.

"Did that dwarf get into a fight again?!" Obec grumbled.

Melik, it seemed, had gotten into a fight with another Rider lining up for food. "I was here first, _bastard_!"

Obec stood. "What's going on?" asked Ayduin.

"He's arguing with some human," Obec replied. "Black hair, blue eyes, looks like the loner sort."

Lyra groaned. "That's Terrin. Of all people, your friend had to pick a fight with him."

"Look, _dwarf_ , you will get in line like the rest of us," a cold voice said. Obec seemed like he was about to walk over when his own master, Noum, waded into the crowd to break up the fight. Noum did not look very happy.

"Both you fools, stop it!" he growled. "Stupid! Fighting in the middle of break. Go back to your tables. I will send both of you to foraging if you try this idiocy again."

Rin coughed. _He is out of his mind._ Melik returned to their table with a dark expression, nearly flinging the plate of food he was carrying onto the table with a clatter. Dwarves were well known for their ability to curse, and Melik was turning into a primary exhibit of that. "Melik, remember what Arya-elda said," Obec warned. The dwarf turned to quiet muttering. "Piece of… pushing me away… " Rin pretended she could not hear him.

"So, this Terrin. I met him before my spar with Wayne-elda. Who is he, exactly?" Ayduin inquired. Lyra sniffed.

"Terrin? He's one of the most talented Riders in our Order. He completed his apprenticeship in record time, became youngest to graduate, even got assigned to an expeditionary unit." She leaned in to whisper. "But he's also an arrogant, self-righteous bastard who's always showing off but acts lonely and victimized anyway. Just because he's the son of Eragon Lightbringer doesn't give him the right to look down on the rest of us."

 _Eragon Lightbringer has a son?_

 _It appears so._

 _Eragon Lightbringer has a son… and his mother is… wait, you don't think it could be…_

 _It is possible. But it seems out of place._

Lyra shifted uncomfortably when she noticed the four of them staring at her. "Don't give me that look, what does his parentage mean to you?"

"That son of a b-"

"Melik!" Obec warned. The Urgal shook his head. "I never knew the Lord Rider had a son."

"He never really talks about that, so most people from the mainland don't know. And while Terrin likes to flaunt his talents, he hates us talking about his parentage too." She smiled. "So if you ever feel up to annoying him again, just mention his father's name and he's sure to get into one of those dark moods of his."

"Has the boy ever been favoured by the Council because of this?" asked Ayduin.

"No, not really. In fact I think the Council doesn't really like him."

Rin raised an eyebrow at that. The son of possibly the most powerful man in Alagaesia, disliked by his father's own Council? Even _Riders_ had to have some bias. It wasn't a fair world, not even on New Vroengard. What had Eragonsson done?

A bell rung to signal that half of afternoon break had passed, and the four Riders realized they had yet to eat anything. As Lyra returned to her own table, they quickly took a share from the food Melik had brought back. Rin gave a few pieces of meat to Telamon, who bit into them appreciatively.

Ismira, Mistress of Apprentices, came to stand at the front of the dining hall again. " _Shur'tugalar,_ there is an important announcement to be made." The Riders turned to face the Council member, who was now standing with their masters: Wayne, Keori, Noum, and Eleone.

"What the blazes is going on?" asked Melik through a mouthful of food.

"As some of you may already know, we have welcomed four new apprentices to join the Order just this morning." Cheers and whoops around the area. "Now, this is just a quick introduction so you won't be confused if you bump into them. These apprentices are Ayduin, Melik, Obec, and Rin. Fortunately, they are all seated over there, so it is easy to point them out. Perhaps you can find out more about them later." Each of them waved as Ismira called out their names, save Rin, who had put up a stoic front. She wasn't liking all the sudden attention on them.

"Their _ebrithilar_ are the ones standing beside me. Wayne to Ayduin, Keori to Melik, Noum to Obec, and Eleone to Rin." Their four masters nodded.

"As part of _Tuatha du Orothrim_ , the four of them will be undergoing one month of training before they are sent to their first Tempering, and by passing it they will be formally inducted into the Order. That is all." Ismira returned to the high table, and their masters dispersed.

"Tempering the Fool's Wisdom," Ayduin translated, predicting the other three's questions. "It is the first stage of a Rider's training."

"What is this 'Tempering' she was talking about?" asked Obec. "Are we not Riders already?"

"It is probably just a formality," the elf reassured. "They can't possibly fail us this early into our apprenticeship."

Whatever the Tempering was, Rin wasn't too troubled by it. She and Telamon would train hard for it, and when the time came, maybe she'd surprise Eleone again.

* * *

 _A/N: Yes, I know how late this is ;-; I blame school!_

 _To SUVIctorium: Yea, the use of tense was quite bad, I apologize. Roran and Orik have already passed away. That whole italicized part was referring to the first ten years following Eragon's departure from Alagaesia._


	3. Chapter 3: New Moon

_Rin,_

 _ONLY READ THIS WHEN YOU'RE ON THE ISLAND._

 _wherever you are now, i hope you're fine. hope we'll be doing fine too when you read this. risthart's probably going to be stepping up patrols but we're gonna make it around them just fine. agnes and dalla want to say hi._

 _hows new vroengard? are there really dragons everywhere? do rainbows cross the land, and do the buildings come alive? don't forget to tell us if you see eragon shadeslayer. we're dying to hear about him._

 _But you gotta train hard, alright? read all the books you wanted to read so you can be smarter than ever. we'll be trying our best here, so you gotta try your best there, too. then one day you can come back and set thing straight here in Teirm. you can be the first Rider to stay here. this risthart's a weakling and he's sure to let a Rider into his city this time._

 _we're still saving a sleeping spot for you in the alley if you come back. then again, you'd be a great rider by then, so maybe you won't want to._

 _don't forget us small people! there'll always be space for you with us._

 _Your friend,_

 _Col_

* * *

 _81XX AC_

 _Second Week of Spring_

 _Obec, Son of Rhotahl, Rider to Jekthu_

Tempering. Tempering. What would happen in Tempering? He should've gone to ask the elf Lyra, but thanks to that thrice-cursed Melik and his thrice-cursed fighting, he had to rush to eat his lunch instead. He swore that dwarf never ceased to give him headaches everyday. Why did _he_ have to babysit the short man? He accepted that Rin was still a youngling, but Ayduin was very much capable of keeping Melik in check. Anyway, don't elves and dwarves naturally hate each other? Or Urgals and dwarves. Or, in ancient times, _dragons_ and dwarves. _Kznek_ , it's just the dwarves!

 _Obec, are you alright?_ asked Jekthu. _You are cursing already._

 _I'm sorry_ , the Urgal apologized. He didn't like to get angry, but sometimes he was quick to temper.

He closed the book he was reading and picked up another one from the pile his master had him collect. " _Histories of the Races: The Evolving Relations Between the Peoples of Alagaesia,_ " he read. Noum had had to rush off for some urgent meeting, so in the meantime, Obec went to the library to investigate why relations between Urgals and humans have reached stagnancy during the post-war era. Arya-elda had warned him that fighting wasn't the only skill that Riders had to learn, and that he would have to get used to more "sedentary" activities. Looks like he would have to try and get used to it now.

Obec rifled through the pages until he came to the section on the post-war era. The book was filled with small, spidery print that forced him to squint if he wanted to see the words clearly. The Urgal wasn't a particularly good reader, even after the intensive Ancient Language course he had gone through, and the inscrutable book was making it even harder for him.

" _After the war, there was a need to balance power between the four major races,"_ he read aloud in his guttural accent. " _There was distrust between the humans of the Broddring Empire and other races due to their role in the war, and many humans were suspicious of the elves due to their control over magic. The Urgals were also widely seen as dangerous warmongers despite their assistance in overthrowing Galbatorix."_ Obec scowled at that. A hundred years after the war, and his people were still being perceived as wild monsters by the humans. When he had visited their villages at the root of the mountains, mothers would hide their children behind their skirts, and men would stop him regularly to ask about his business. Yes, his race valued fighting. That didn't mean they lacked honor and civility.

It took him another good two hours to read and re-read the chapter, and then he still had to write out his thoughts concerning his master's question on Urgal-human relations. First day on the island, and his head was already hurting. " _Brisingr_ ," he said to the dying lantern on the table, and the wick reignited. The library was kept dim to prevent light from damaging some of the older books, so Riders had to bring in their own source of lighting. Obec didn't really trust his lightweaving, so he opted for a simple flame instead.

"Why did relations between humans and Urgals become stagnant?" he asked himself.

 _Did the humans and Urgals do anything wrong?_ said Jekthu.

 _Many things, likely,_ Obec replied.

He toyed with the quill he held, then scribbled a short line on the paper. " _Relations between the humans and Urgals were..._ " he wrote in his messy handwriting. He stopped to think. How had Urgals treated humans in the past century? _With caution._ And how had humans treated the Urgals? _With suspicion. Maybe with fear_. Obec rubbed his head at the base of one horn. That was his own experience dealing with humans. He knew others of his tribe had similar experiences. How would he write all of that down? How do you describe the relations between so many people?

Obec looked up at the stack of books in front of him. Then he looked up at a clock on the wall of the library. It was near sunset. Noum wanted to hear from him by evening break. That left him only another hour or so. "This is too difficult," he grumbled.

"Do you need help?" said a voice from the shelves. An elf strode out with a thick book under one arm, a white werelight shining above his palm. He was tall and had a green cloak draped around his shoulders. "I believe you are one of the new apprentices. Obec, is it?"

"Aye. And who are you?"

"My name is Gilfalion, of House Valtharos. Atra esterní ono thelduin," Gilfalion greeted.

Obec returned the greeting, stumbling slightly over the words. "Thank you, but I should do this on my own."

"Oh, no, I insist," said Gilfalion, seating himself from across Obec. "What have you been assigned?"

 _This elf is strange_ , Obec remarked.

 _He seems nice._

 _Should I really get his help?_

 _Why not!_

 _Alright._

"Human-Urgal relations," Obec told him. "I need to find out why they have, uh, stagnated since the end of of the war."

"Ah, that is simple enough." Gilfalion placed his book on the table and flipped through the pages, which Obec realized was the elf's notebook. He stopped at a page filled with clean, neat handwriting. "Can you read Liduen Kvaedhí?"

Obec rubbed his head again. "With effort."

"No matter. I can summarize this for you."

"I- thank you." _He is eager about this._

 _Maybe he likes helping people._

"These are my old notes on exactly the subject of Human-Urgal relations. But they are a decade old, so forgive me if they are outdated," he said. "Since the end of the war, the human monarchs and the Urgal Herndall have striven to rebuild relations through several key agreements. Firstly, the Urgals would establish a series of inter-clan games in which young Urgals could compete so as to display their skills, thus earning status and mates. The victors from these games would then be eligible to compete in the quadrennial Alagaesian Games where champions from each of the four major races would compete in a show of good sport and solidarity."

Obec took a moment to process the information. "I see."

"Yes. Secondly, the Urgals were to be included in the Riders' pact with the dragons to make the pact more inclusive of all races. This was a controversial move, but ultimately the decision was left to the Lead Rider, Eragon Shadeslayer."

 _Controversial…? What?_ asked Jekthu.

The elf turned to the dragonling. _It means that there were many people who didn't agree with the decision._

 _That's stupid! Why not? Obec's just as good as the rest of them!_

 _Unfortunately, not everyone thinks that way, dragon._ He looked at Obec, who returned him an awkward smile.

Gilfalion turned a page as he continued to read, the paper rustling in his fingers. "Thirdly, some fertile land at the base of the Spine mountains were turned over to the Urgals for their usage. This sparked greater protest than the changes to the Rider pact, and it did not help that the humans had not completely warmed up to then High Queen Nasuada. It took a lot of wrangling but eventually they reached a compromise."

Obec nodded to himself. That agreement was recent enough for his father to remember. His had been one of the first tribes to move out from the mountains after the Urgals had received the land from the humans. His father said they had been immediately greeted by human rioters. _Armed with spears and axes, and dressed in boiled leather armour, threatening to torch everything in the surrounding ten leagues so it'd be dead land to us._

The elf looked up from his book. "Through these agreements, Urgal-Human relations were predicted to improve, and they did improve for the next half a century. However, there still lingers deep-seated suspicion amongst the humans, and I trust your race also has some subconscious wariness of the humans. In my view, relations have stagnated simply because there is no way forward. Exchange trips between the domains of the two races have been suggested, but they have been fired down by more… cautious sections of the human kingdoms. Trade has increased, though that does not help much in cultural understanding. To put it another way, most outright hostility between the races have been erased, but it will take much longer for to get rid of latent biases."

"Latent biases?"

"Aye. Outwardly, they don't hate each other, but there's some instinct telling them to be wary."

Obec closed his eyes. "And of the other races? Why do only the Urgals and humans have such conflict?"

"The dwarves did actually have disputes with the Urgals, but so did they with the humans of Surda, and their dislike of elves is well-known…" he grimaced. "I suppose dwarves are rather disagreeable people, but you did not hear that from me."

He spared the elf a chuckle. "That is true. Thank you." He touched the tip of his horn.

"It was my pleasure. I'm always free to help," Gilfalion smiled.

 _See, I told you he likes to help people._

 _It still seems odd to me._

Gilfalion stood up to leave. "Good luck writing that," he said. "You still have three-quarters of an hour left, so if you can still remember what I've told you, then you should be fine. I must rush off."

"Where are you going?" Obec asked. It seemed everyone on the island had something urgent to attend to.

"I'm an apprentice too," said the elf, tapping a silver dragon pin that was on his collar. "My master does not appreciate any late-coming." With that, he swept out of the alcove, cloak trailing behind him.

The Urgal looked down at his paper, blank except for the one line he had written at the top. The quill he held seemed too small for his large, calloused hands.

 _If I am to be a Rider,_ he thought. _Then I'd best work hard to prove them wrong._

* * *

 _81XX AC_

 _Second Week of Spring_

 _Melik, Son of_ _Mîm_ _, Rider to Uldr_

In the Apprentice's Quarters at the northern side of the castle, where apprentices (and the smaller dragons) were housed, there is a small garden at the centre, decorated with grasses and common flora, and in the garden there is a stone fountain in the shape of a twisting dragon, with water spewing out of its mouth instead of flame.

It was at this fountain that the four apprentices gathered, as per their masters' instructions. Ayduin was smiling to himself, Rin had her usual blank expression, and Obec seemed to have his mind elsewhere. The dragons' mood followed after their Riders. Or at least, that's what he sensed. He couldn't always tell what dragons were feeling.

And him and Uldr? He shivered. It was only the first day, and Keori was already driving a horrible training regime. And he was a dwarf of the River Guard!

 _Blast that woman,_ he thought. He gingerly touched his right arm and winced.

The garden wasn't sealed off from the rest of the Apprentice's wing, and so they could watch the other apprentices hurrying about before they went to sleep. There wasn't an official curfew, but the apprentices soon learnt that it was better to get a good night's rest or they'd be too tired to train the next day. Most masters didn't take well to their students coming late for lessons, and they always started early. Even that nosy elf Lyra would only wave to them as she passed by.

Melik was already aching all over from his first day as a Rider apprentice. Dwarves weren't exactly built for running, you know. They could hammer away at metal, mine for ore all day, and then drink away their pains all night. Not that he actually knew what it felt like to mine and smith. Those were the jobs of other clans. Dûrgrimst Ragni Hefthyn was a clan of sailors and warriors. They could endure raging waters and a whole week of battles. Still, running wasn't their strong suit compared to the other races. It wasn't their fault they had short legs.

An older Rider was now walking over to them, and Melik knew he was a full Rider because of the sword at his belt. Apprentices weren't allowed to possess weapons, which was a stupid rule. Back in Tarnag, he was already deemed old enough to wield an axe and fight with the older dwarves. Now he had to be remain equal with the other apprentices, even if they had never touched a weapon in their lives. He snorted at the idea of a child like Rin waving a sword around.

"Heyo! You must be the new apprentices!" said the Rider. He had a mop of messy blonde hair which hung about his face. "Perhaps y'all remember me from this morning?"

"You're the Rider whom Ismira-elda had reprimanded?" said Ayduin.

The Rider scratched the back of his head. "Aye, though I'd appreciate it if you din't mention that. The name's Perrin. I'm part of the castle garrison, see, and I'm taking over guard duty for the Apprentice's Quarters from another Garrison mate, 'cause she's sick. Probably for about a week. Yer other apprentices don't really care, but I thought I'd best let y'all know."

"What the hell do you need to guard us from?" asked Melik.

"Oh, y'know. Ra'zac and Shades and the like."

"Korgan's beard! _Ra'zac and Shades_?!"

"There are many things in the world which yearn for a taste of Rider and dragon flesh," said Perrin, a dark look on his face. Then he chuckled. "I'm joking, I'm joking! Honestly, y'all are in the safest place in the entire world. We Garrison folks are proud to say that. I may not seem it, but I'm one of the strongest Riders around here!"

"Are you so certain about that, Perrin?"

 _Blast it! It's that crazed woman!_

Keori was slight in build but made up for it plenty in other ways. Her dark hair was dyed with a shock of red at the ends, which made it easy to pick her out from a crowd.

"Ebrithil," Melik greeted, bowing his head slightly.

His teacher waved a hand at him. "Alright. The four of you, this is your first night in the Riders' Citadel. I have been reminded that we must brief you on a few protocols you must follow throughout your entire apprenticeship."

Keori pointed outside the window. "Who among you can tell me what astronomical phenomenon can be currently observed in the night sky?"

"Um… " Obec started. "It's… dark…"

Keori sighed. "Never mind. It's a new moon, currently. Tomorrow will mark the first day of the next month, which is when we traditionally hold assembly. This means that the Council will be speaking to the entire Order on matters of importance. All of you are expected to be in attendance tomorrow morning."

"Secondly, since all of you are new apprentices, you are not permitted to leave Doru Aiedail at night."

"What? Why?" asked Melik. _She has to be joking!_

"This is for your own safety. This may be the Riders' island, but there are dangers abound in the wilder parts. If your master deems you competent enough, you may then be given the permission. But I doubt any of you are ready."

"But this is-"

Keori narrowed her eyes. Melik shut his mouth.

"Thirdly, all four of you will soon be rostered for duties within the castle by this week. A messenger will be sent to inform you of the details, but I will warn you that apprentices are expected to carry out more duties than other Riders." She quickly turned to Melik. "And before you protest once again, we have already determined this to be fair. Older Riders are expected to carry out more missions, so the bulk of duties fall to you."

He ground his teeth. Blasted Keori.

"Let's see, what else… you four should know about the bells… ah, yes. There is a special sequence of chimes that is sounded whenever there is danger to the island," said Keori. She hummed a short tune. "When you hear that, all of you - even the dragons - must gather in the entrance hall of this castle, and a Rider will bring you all to a safe location. Did you get that?"

"Yes, ebrithil," said Ayduin.

"Yea," Melik muttered.

"Those are four basic rules you must know. I'm sure you can all figure out the rest as you go along." She looked at each of them. "Any questions?"

"Ebrithil, where would the dragons live once they grow too large for our own rooms?" asked Ayduin.

"There is a building where they may choose to take shelter in near the castle. But I think your dragons would prefer sleeping outside, as do most dragons here. Anymore questions? No? Then I shall leave you in Perrin's… semi-capable hands." Ignoring the younger Rider's protests, she turned to leave the Apprentice's Quarters.

"Ahem… anyway, now the real reason I'm here," said Perrin. "I'm to show you to your rooms. That'll be exciting, aye? Oh, what's with the faces, y'all looking more sour than a bad lemon. Come this way."

* * *

 _81XX AC_

 _Second Week of Spring_

 _Rin, Daughter of None, Rider to Telamon_

Rin turned the key in the lock, and the wooden door swung open to a small room with the window open to the forest. She placed her bag on the floor, sweeping her gaze across the room that would be her abode for the next decade. It was a plain room, with simple trappings. There was a desk for studying at, a closet for her clothes, and a chest for her things - though she owned very little. There was also a shelf for books and a wash closet for bathing in. Her bed was placed in the corner. But apart from that, there was little to count for decoration, and that suited her just fine. It looked a lot more comfortable than the alleyways she had been sleeping in for the past few years.

Telamon flitted over to the window ledge, then sprawled himself across the sill. _There's a nice breeze coming in._

 _I like it here, Telamon. I think Col would have liked it here, too._

She joined her scaled companion at the window. Lights glittered from the Rider's town below, from those magical lamps that never went out, and pairs of Riders were scattered throughout the streets. Garrison members, she supposed. Beyond the walls, plains stretched out towards a Greatwood forest, and beyond that even, she could see a little of the sea surrounding the island, the waters that had delivered her to the Riders.

The Riders! Here she was, age eleven, standing in the home of the Order whose deeds were told in story and song. She had read book after book about them in Osred's bookstore, from morning till night, and she could have read them throughout the night too if Osred had not sent her to sleep each night. Her hands gripped the window ledge. She was so far from where she had been.

 _Think not about it, Rin. Think not about it._

She was shaking. Taking a deep breath, she turned from the window and picked her bag up from the ground. A pencil, a battered notebook, a letter, and a book on the Riders, plus spare clothes she had received from Arya-elda. She hung up the clothes in the closet and tossed the rest onto her desk. The empty cloth bag went into the chest. Perrin said there'd be supplies delivered tomorrow, so that chest would probably be filling up soon.

Tomorrow morning, she would attend the assembly, and listen to the Council speak. Possibly, Eragon Shadeslayer would be there, too. Then she would follow her master to the training fields or somewhere to continue her training for the Tempering. There would be breaks in between, and she could go to the library then. Or perhaps explore the town. Could she do that at night, as well? There wasn't a curfew, but she didn't know how tired she would be tomorrow. And there was still the question of how to ask Eleone about the Rider in Teirm. She did not expect a good answer to that one.

Alright. Tomorrow then, tomorrow. She would be doing things tomorrow. She was going to be a Rider. A good one, too. She wouldn't let Col down. Or the rest of the children from the alleyways.

With a soft word from her, the lantern in the ceiling of the room went out. "Goodnight, Telamon."

 _Goodnight._

* * *

 _A/N: Unfortunately, school's been a real devil. I had to pick up this chapter again after leaving it uncompleted for the past few months, so I've gotten rusty in my writing. Ah well, hoped you liked the chapter anyway._


	4. Chapter 4: Training Begins

_The Southern Expedition was established in the fifteenth year past the New Order's founding, along with the other three expeditionary forces. The leader of the Expedition is a dwarf Rider named Garik, who is one of Eragon Lightbringer's earliest apprentices. When the Expedition was first created, just one junior Rider was placed under his charge, and today he commands four…_

… _In the first year of the Expedition's travels, they chanced upon a thriving human civilization far south of the Beor Mountains, confirming the tales of travelers who stumbled into the dwarven kingdom from the Deadlands. It was thought that no life could exist beyond those ash-filled wastes, but it turns out that the Deadlands are not as expansive as the dwarves once thought they were, and a Rider on a swift dragon can easily traverse its entirety within a single day._

 _When they tried to make contact with the leaders of that civilization, however, the Expedition faced some difficulty, for the inhabitants do not speak the same language as their counterparts in the north. Instead, they speak a strange mix of dwarvish and the Ancient Language (see Appendix), with the latter they refer to as the High Tongue. By communicating with their priests, who are fluent in the High Tongue, the Expedition learnt the name of that civilization, which in our language means the "Spice Settlements". They also met the the first of the Dukes of the Spice Settlements, who is known as the "Duke of Basil"._

 _Unfortunately, the meeting with the Duke of Basil revealed to the Settlements the presence of a wealthy kingdom to the north of their borders, and their greediness for dwarven riches is thought to be a factor in the beginning of the Ashen War._

\- From _Quests of the Expeditions_ , as recorded by First Archivist Idre Haldthin

* * *

 _81XX AC_

 _Second Week of Spring_

 _Rin, Daughter of None, Rider to Telamon_

The two of them had been the earliest to arrive for assembly, and Rin sat alone with Telamon as she watched the rest of the Order file into take their seats around the glade. Her short brown hair whipped around hair as a strong gust of wind blew past. While the Riders were sitting within the amphitheatre, the dragons were lining the rim and the hills that ringed the area, wings folded by their side to make room. Telamon, being only the size of a large dog, had sat down beside her. Just a few months from now, he too would have to move out of her room in the castle and sleep outside like the other dragons.

 _Why not hold assembly in the dining hall? We could all fit there…_ Rin wondered.

 _But most of the dragons aren't my size,_ answered Telamon.

A golden-haired elf sat himself beside her, blue dragonling in tow. "Early today?" asked Ayduin. She nodded. Oh, hopefully he wouldn't talk too much.

"I do wonder what will be spoken of at this assembly. Island matters, perhaps? Or of happenings further afield?" He leaned forward. "This entire amphitheatre was carved out the side of a knoll. Over there in the centre is placed the Speaker's Rock. The design of this area seems to allow the speaker to easily project his voice..."

He continued to rattle on, but Rin had already tuned out the elf and his dull remarks, concentrating on searching the Riders below for anyone she could recognize. Would Eragon Lightbringer be around today? That was one of the few names she knew amongst the Riders, and the figure Col had always wanted to meet. Truth be told, she was dying to meet him too - but she wouldn't tell anyone that. All she saw was that older apprentice Lyra, who went to sit with some human boy, and the Mistress of Apprentices, Ismira, who was talking to some man with a bandaged arm.

And there, approaching from her left, was Obec and Jekthu, the Urgal towering over most of the other Riders. He came to sit beside Ayduin. "Good morning," said he. He was always polite, more than she thought an Urgal would be. Not that she had met one before. "Will the assembly be starting soon?"

"I think it will be," said Ayduin. "Have you seen Melik?"

"Aye. He's there, sitting with his _ebrithil_ ," said Obec.

True enough, there was the dwarf and the dragon Uldr, sitting beside Keori. Melik had a scowl on his face, and though Rin wasn't a good reader of dragon emotions, she was sure that Uldr was feeling the exact same way as his Rider.

Ayduin chuckled. "He certainly is being kept on a short leash."

"His master must agree with Arya-elda's complaints, then," said Obec, grinning.

Rin didn't care much for the rude dwarf herself, who was raucous and made trouble wherever he went. He was one of the few who could actually break Arya's stern expression.

At the bottom of the amphitheatre, the man with the bandaged arm stepped onto the Speaker's Rock and clapped his hands. The sound really was amplified in this amphitheatre. "Alright, alright! Settle down, everyone. Assembly has begun." The Riders began quieting down. "We've some important announcements, as always."

Rin tried her best to pay attention as the man started talking about the "stability of the aether field" and "unidentifiable sources of energy surges", but his words made little sense to her. Ayduin had helpfully informed them that the man was an Elder, of the name Elric Steelhand, and he was Chief Artificer, which gave his words a bit more context. The aether field, she knew, was some recent discovery that was made only two decades ago, by a group of scientists and spellcasters from Surda. From that discovery they invented something called an "Arcane Generator", or more commonly known as the Huyget Generator after their lead scientist. Purportedly the generator allowed a non-magician to use magic.

Two more Elders came up to speak after Elric Steelhand. The first was speaking on behalf of the Warden of Eoam, reporting on the status of the piracy scourge in the southwestern seas. The self-proclaimed Pirate Lord has been captured, said the Elder, and the rest of the pirates would soon follow their leader into the Surdan gaol.

The second Elder had graver news. "There has been tidings from the Southern Expedition," said the Elder. "Some unexpected changes have occurred in the negotiations with the Spice Settlements."

There were murmurs throughout the gathered Riders. "The what?" asked Obec.

"They're human settlements south of the Beor Mountains. They trade in spices and other exotic goods," Ayduin whispered back.

The Elder held up a hand. "Silence, please. Most of you should know that the Southern Expedition and the dwarves had been making some headway into the negotiations with the Dukes. However, for some reason, the Dukes have suddenly abandoned the negotiations, and refuse to parley with us. Even the Grand Master is unable to ascertain their true intentions. Furthermore, we have heard rumours of some sort of 'secret weapon' under development in the Settlements. Naturally, this aroused our suspicions, and so we have sent two Riders to assist the Expedition."

Beside her, Ayduin let out a pent-up breath. "Terrin Eragonsson."

"Huh?" said Obec. He was always saying things like that, which made him sound a little stupid.

"When I met him yesterday, my master said he was expecting him to prepare for an expedition. It must be this one."

 _Terrin Eragonsson_. The name evoked contempt in her. The sons of powerful men always had some slimy characteristic to them. They always either sought special favours from their fathers or brandished their fathers' names as a weapon against those who would oppose them. "My father is Lord Risthart's seneschal! I would _never_ shame him this way!" was how the excuses went. _Someone I should avoid, I think._

 _A dragon is more than his scales_ , said Telamon _. Is it not so for two-legs?_

"In any case," continued the Elder, "Do take caution in the southern regions. No Rider is to enter the territory of the Spice Settlements without advance permission from Leader Garik. If there abides anymore concerns, seek me out as soon as possible. That is all. Assembly, dismissed."

As the Riders were getting up from their seats, stretching and limbering up, Ayduin spoke up once again. "Have you ever been to the south, friends?"

"No," said Obec. "No further south than Leona Lake."

"I admit to some curiosity. Why abandon negotiations? Do the Dukes plan a greater attack on the dwarves? I have heard that the Settlements have experienced greater technological advancement than even Surda-"

"You're an apprentice!" exclaimed Obec. "How can we know of such things?"

"I was training to be a scholar before I became a Rider, you see. And so I question. What say you, Rin?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Rin!" a voice called out to her. She spun around to find her master Eleone beckoning her over, and so she and Telamon descended the steps of the amphitheatre to come before the senior Rider.

"Come with me, " said Eleone. "There is much we must accomplish with your training..."

* * *

The next two hours was spent on physical exercise, to Rin's disappointment. Telamon wasn't even around to encourage her. Eleone's dragon, Hljöhdr, had arrived to meet with the three of them at the training fields, and had soon left with Telamon flying in his wake. Riders and dragons were supposed to train apart, it seemed. The elder dragon made no sound when he flew, which probably was the source of his name, and was as large as a cottage. He had greeted her and Telamon with a large puff of smoke, leaving her coughing and sputtering.

When she was still training in Du Weldenvarden, Arya had instructed them in the Rimgar, which was some elven exercise in flexibility and required the practitioner to contort themselves into a variety of unnatural shapes and poses. The first stage of the Rimgar was easy enough, but the next four stages were all horrendous. She could barely complete the second stage, the one Eleone was making her do now. The tendons in her back were screaming as she bent over into the last pose. Her master prodded Rin and adjusted her positioning, and then she had to hold the position for several more excruciating seconds before her master was satisfied.

She fell to the floor in exhaustion as her master shook her head. "Remember, Rin, you must relax your muscles when you perform the Rimgar. Being stiff as bark is only going to impede your mobility."

Rin kept silent. "What is it?" asked Eleone.

"How will this help me with Tempering?" asked Rin. _Really, how is this going to help me be a good Rider? We're not acrobats, are we?_

Eleone crossed her arms. "You need to improve your physical condition so that you can learn more advanced skills in the future. Of course, I don't expect you to be as fit as some of the other apprentices, who are older and have a different build. But there is a basic level of fitness that we want from every Rider.

To answer your question, there is no direct link between this and _Tuatha du Orothrim_. However, a healthy body is key to a healthy mind, and so you need to exercise to maintain the strength of both."

Dragons soared in the sky above her, and she watched them for a while as she lay on the grass. _Tuatha du Orothrim_ \- Tempering the Fool's Wisdom, an important stage in a Rider's apprenticeship, and at the end of it there would be some test. Eleone had been annoyingly cryptic about it when she had told her about it the previous day, and Rin could glean no more from her than the fact that the Tempering would test her mental capabilities, somehow. Not her physical capabilities, or even the depth of her scholarly knowledge. Just her mind, and perhaps how she thought. How was she going to train that in the space of one month?

"Rin, did you hear me?" said Eleone. "From now on, you and I shall meet here every morning to exercise. I can tell from your expression that you don't like it, and so all the more we need to train."

She sighed inwardly, then slowly got up, her muscles aching in every possibly place. When she thought of becoming a Rider, she had imagined that there would be more spellcasting and flying and adventuring - not doing exercise like _this_."Yes."

"Good. You are still young, so there is a lot of room for you to improve. But you will improve so long as you are consistent. Have a short break, then join me in the clearing there when you're done."

Her master left, heading into the woods encircling the training fields. Rin took in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, trying to return her heart rate back to normal. In the distance there came the sound of clashing metal. Two small figures were running around and battering each other with swords at the other end of the field. Another figure was standing nearby, shouting something that was indiscernible to her ears. She wasn't close enough to tell whether they were Riders or apprentices.

 _How is your training?_ she asked Telamon.

 _Hljöhdr has made me fly circuits around a hill. My wings are sore._

 _It seems we are both in need of exercise. But now, Eleone wants me to join her in the forest._

 _You best go, then._

His mind left hers, ending the conversation. She could spy her master standing by a tree near the clearing, and so hurried over to resume the lesson. Eleone had her sit in the centre of the clearing, which was littered with petals.

"Now, this exercise does have relation to your upcoming test," said Eleone. "Tell me, have you ever practiced meditation before?" Rin nodded in answer to that.

"Excellent. So you should be familiar with what I want you to accomplish. Close your eyes, and quest out with your mind. Forget any personal thoughts or concerns, and instead focus on what is around you. See the forest as it is."

Yes, she had done this before. That did not mean she was proficient in doing what was expected of her. Arya-elda said that her mind wandered too much, that she wasn't able to _see_ what she looked at. On the other hand, she had chided Obec and Ayduin for focusing too much on only one thing that caught their attention. Only _Melik_ had been successful enough to earn praise from their master. So what was it that they wanted?

 _It is easier to be extreme than to be moderate. And in that way, moderation is perhaps its own form of extreme._

She quested out with her mind, detecting the surrounding trees, as well as the myriad of critters that were scattered all over the forest floor. Going upwards, there was life climbing amongst the treetops, and even above those were the birds, flying over the canopy. She couldn't reach the dragons who flew even higher than the birds, but she knew they were there. What about below her? She hadn't thought to explore that region before. Rin probed the earth beneath her, and surprisingly it was teeming with life as well. An ant here, a beetle there, even a small beast which she couldn't recognize.

There was just so much to see. How could she even begin to focus on anything? What was the point to all this?

"Rin, try focusing on just one thing you see," said Eleone, apparently aware of her struggle. "But keep the rest within your periphery."

"How?"

"Just pick one thing, and keep your mind on it. Think on it, but not to the exclusion of everything else."

What? Rin didn't fully understand, but she tried to comply. _Well, how about that squirrel over there…_ Next to one of the oak trees, she saw the small mammal holding onto an acorn that it had plucked from the tree. She suddenly felt a pang of worry from the squirrel. Was something happening? _Oh_ … _A fox._ Its hunger was palpable as it stalked the ground behind the oak tree. It thought of sneaking up from behind the squirrel and catching it unguarded.

Unfortunately for the fox, the squirrel had detected its presence. Rin saw its mind at work. There had been an escape route planned. When the fox pounced, the squirrel would leap onto the tree trunk and scamper its way back to its home in the trees. There was tension in that few seconds before the pounce, then the fox sprang from its hiding place, and the squirrel slipped away, climbing up the tree. The fox clawed at the squirrel the best it could, but it was too late, for its prey had reached the reprieve of the leaves above.

Rin found herself sweating again, even though she was only sitting on the ground. At least the squirrel was safe, and she could feel the relief emanating from the rodent. _Maybe now it can - wait!_ A screech of terror. Then a hawk swooped down from the sky, grabbing the squirrel within its talons. Its life force slowly dimmed as the hawk flew further away.

She opened her eyes. Eleone had been watching her. "Did you discover something of note?" asked her master.

Rin could no longer detect the squirrel's consciousness. "If you don't get caught by the foxes below, you get killed by those above you," she mumbled.

"Actually, if only you had not been concentrating so much on the squirrel, you would have noticed that hawk flying above, and realized its intent. It is good that you are focusing now, but remember, watch the periphery."

They stayed there for a while longer, with Eleone giving occasional instruction on how she should be watching the world around her. Mostly her master left her to her own observations. Her mind had gone back to wandering around the woods, jumping from life to non-life. Eleone hadn't shown her any sign of frustration, and she wondered what the elf thought about this tendency of hers.

Oh well. She was already trying her best. Eleone would just have to contend with that.

* * *

Following that exercise in meditation, Eleone had let her off for noon break, and she trudged all the way back to the dining hall to get her lunch. The climb up to the top tier of the city was agonizing, and she barely made it in time before the lunch bell rang. When she finally reached the dining hall, Obec waved her over to his table, where Melik had already begun scarfing down meat and bread as fast as he could. Thankfully, it seemed Obec had been the one to get the food for them this time, and so there weren't any altercations she would be bothered by. Melik had informed all of them, through a mouthful of food, that Ayduin had suspiciously gone to sit with "that elf girl", Lyra.

After that, she met Eleone in the library, as her master instructed, and they begun lessons in the Ancient Language. Rin wasn't fluent yet, and only simple sentences and words were within her ability. Her master wanted her to be conversational within the next three months, nearly fluent within the next eight, and then able to write even poetry by her second year of apprenticeship, so Eleone had dictated that they would speak to each other in the Ancient Language at all possible times. Rin sighed yet again, but she dutifully followed her master's instructions as Eleone tutored her on more complex grammar and sentence structures. That was one thing Eleone and Rin's previous master had in common: overtly high expectations of her linguistic ability.

Finally, at the end of the day, with the sun nearly below the horizon, Eleone and Rin had waited for the return of Telamon and Hljöhdr in the large square at one of the entrances into Doru Aiedail, and watched as the two dragons spiralled their way down to the ground. Did Telamon seem bigger, or was that just her imagination?

 _Welcome back_ , she said to Telamon, who gave her a toothy grin.

Suddenly, the elder dragon turned one giant eye on her. _What is the most important rule in navigating wind currents?_ asked Hljöhdr.

"What?" said Rin, startled by the question.

"And Telamon, can you name two predators that prey on squirrels, as well as their manner of hunting?" asked Eleone.

 _I do not know, ebrithil_.

Eleone shook her head. "The two of you have been together for at least a month, yes? And yet neither thought of talking to each other throughout training today?"

Apprentice and dragon looked at each other. _We did, but…_

 _Not enough, young ones. As Rider and dragon, one of the most important things you must do is to share everything with your partner. Any new knowledge you learn, any new discovery you find, you must tell your partner all. There are no secrets between a Rider and dragon. The bonds that link you are powerful, and it is foolish to ignore them._

Telamon dipped his head. _Yes, I understand._

Rin sighed. "I understand."

"I hope the both of you do. We will test you both again on what the other has learnt. Now, before you leave..." Eleone removed a device from her pocket. "This is a new clock developed by the Artificery, and it is tuned to the movement of the celestial bodies. It will tell you the time accurately, wherever you may be. Elder Elric has been wanting to give these out to all the Riders."

She accepted the device from her master. The clock was glowing in the waning daylight, allowing her to see the hands move around its face. She had never owned one before. "Thank you," said Rin.

"Remember, meet us here at the same time tomorrow for training," said Eleone. "You may have the rest of the day to yourselves. Do explore the city and familiarize yourselves with it."

* * *

Exploring the city had been their original plan anyway, so Rin and Telamon took their master's advice and went for a walk around Doru Aiedail. Eleone and Hljöhdr had spared them a full bell before dinner started, so there was some time left.

They randomly went down one street in the lower tier of the city, passing by houses large enough to fit an older dragon. Riders with swords sheathed at their waists were entering and exiting these houses, which each had a sign on the door identifying the inhabitants. So this was the residential quarter, then. All the Riders who had graduated from apprenticeship and were old enough to run their own household were allowed to choose a house to live in, to give them some privacy and space should they ever have their own families one day. Who was going to marry a Rider, though? Another Rider? The older Riders all seemed too busy to care about such things.

Rin and Telamon turned round one corner and found themselves in one of the entrance squares. A solitary Erisdar lamp illuminated the square, fending off the oncoming night. At one corner of the square, there was a relatively small building where light had suddenly flashed in the windows. _Shall we go in there?_ Rin suggested.

 _It seems strange, but why not._

The small building was actually a post office. Rin found that a little odd, knowing that spellcasters were capable of speaking to each other face-to-face via magic. She had seen Arya speaking to some bearded man in the cottage's only mirror. Well, she supposed writing letters was a meaningful thing to do. Rin pushed open the door, letting Telamon through first, then stepping over the threshold herself.

There was another Rider there, the boy Lyra had sat next to during assembly that morning. His hair was brown, like hers, and he had thick forearms. A light scar ran across his forehead. "Hello," said the boy. "You're one of the new apprentices, right?"

 _We are,_ said Telamon. _Who are you?_

"I'm Darys. I'm an apprentice, too, but I've been here for five years. You're, uh, Rin, right? And you're..." said Darys, struggling to remember her dragon's name.

 _Telamon_ , said the dragonling. Rin felt slight offense coming from her dragon. _What is this place?_

"It's a post office," answered Darys. "But you have to mail your own letters. You take the thing you want to send, write the address, and then you drop it into the appropriate box-" he gestured towards a row of slots in the front counter - "which will transport it directly to the central office of whatever region you're sending the letter to. They keep paper and quill here, so you can write a letter if you feel like it."

"I see," said Rin. She went over to the front counter, and there was one slot labelled "Western Coast: Narda, Teirm, Kuasta, Sharktooth, Toark."

"Well, uh, I need to go off now, so I'm gonna assume you're fine on your own," said Darys. He exited the post office, leaving her alone at the counter.

 _Will you write to anyone?_ asked Telamon.

 _Col_. _He always wanted to know more about the Riders._

And so Rin retrieved a few pieces of paper from the shelf and a quill, describing for her best friend all she had seen and done in the past month, writing even as the evening bell chimed to summon the Riders for dinner. She threw in a few drawings too, though they had mostly turned out to be stick figures. By the time she was finished, the sky outside the post office window had turned completely dark, and she had written a full eight pages of her thoughts.

"… _I won't forget you and the rest of the orphans. I'll do my best, like you told me to._

 _Your friend,_

 _Rin"_

With that, she rolled up the paper and secured it with one of the leather bands they had placed in a nearby box, then wrote the address of the street they had last camped at. Hopefully the courier would deliver it, and not think the letter a joke when he found that it was addressed to some back alley. Finally, she dropped the letter into the slot for the Western Coast, and in a bright flash of light, the letter had disappeared.

Exhaustion was seeping back into her bones. _Are you still hungry?_ asked Rin.

 _No,_ said Telamon. _Let's go back._


End file.
